Managing different types of changes during the lifecycle of a complex delivery project

Delivery projects are a way for a project contractor to solve a customer’s need by delivering a customer-specific tailored solution. The success of these delivery projects is focal for both the project contractor and the customer. One way for the project contractor to promote the success of a delivery project is to plan the project well and to follow a project management methodology. However, despite the planning efforts and project management methodologies, various changes typically take place throughout the project lifecycle. There can be changes both compared to the plans and to the project management methodology and this article focuses on both types of changes and change management in delivery projects. The findings of a case study research reveal, how changes take place throughout the lifecycle of a delivery project, how there are external and internal reasons behind the changes and how both change management activities and improvisational actions are taken by project personnel to manage the changes. The findings also highlight the customer’s role as a source for changes and the different personnel’s role in performing either the change management activities or the improvisational actions. The findings of the study are discussed in relation to the literature on changes and change management in projects and to the literature on improvisation in projects.